Product Description

DELONGHI CGH800 -- Italian pressed sandwiches are all the rage among the culinary cognescenti this year, and once you taste one you'll know why! This appealing, "retro" designed grill is dedicated for making Panini quickly, perfectly and neatly! Embedded heating element distributes heat evenly for consistent grilling results Power on indicator and ready light for ease of use High wattage for fast cooking Stands upright with safety locking system Cord wrap Includes recipe book Join the crowd -- soon you'll be a Panini afficianado, too!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #598 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: DeLonghi
• Model: CGH800
• Dimensions: 6.00" h x 14.10" w x 14.80" l, 12.30 pounds

Features

• Retro-look grill makes pressed Italian-style sandwiches quickly
• Also cooks meat, fish, and vegetables
• Hinged top adjusts to any thickness of food
• Nonstick plates slant to allow grease to drain off for healthier eating
• Mirror-finish with large cool-touch handle

Amazon.com Review
Stuff two slices of of rustic Italian bread with mozzarella, prosciutto, fresh basil, roasted red peppers, and whatever else takes your fancy, brush with olive oil, then press between the hot plates of this grill for the best panini outside Italy. The nonstick plates are hinged to adjust to any thickness of sandwich, meat, fish, or vegetables, and the bottom plate slants slightly to allow grease and juices to drain off into the included plastic cup. Brunch guests will ooh and aah over the retro-look mirror-and-glitter finish of the grill with its wide sweep of a handle. A round polished knob lets you set and see just the right temperature in a small glass window. Measuring 14 by 12-1/2 by 5 inches, the grill includes a cord wrap and locks for upright storage. A comprehensive gift-quality recipe book featuring more than 60 recipes for panini, bruschetta, and spreads comes with the grill, which is covered by a limited 1-year warranty. --Ann Bieri

Customer Reviews

Amazing...WHILE IT LASTED :(
I bought this Panini Press on July 15, 2006 its and incredible machine, EXCEPT for one thing. It has fallen apart. First after about 6 months of owning it something inside started rattling, but it still worked fine [better then fine this Panini press works so well everything cooks evenly and well with perfect grill lines]. I go to use it today [April 11, 2008]and the whole top comes off the machine [aside from the coil in the back] the connection to the bottom piece [through the handle] broke off on both sides. I am hoping it was just my machine because while it lasted it worked great, to think a respectable company such as DeLonghi was starting to make products that only lasted a bit longer then their warranty would be rather sad. So as far as the machines skills as a panini press I give it 5+++ stars but as far as its longevity I would say 2 stars maybe. I hope this review helps and I hope that other people have not had the same results. Oh and for those who want to know the press was left on the counter and moved around only to clean underneath it.

Very good, but plates should be flatter.
This unit works well. It gets hot enough to toast your sandwich in about 3 minutes and the pivoted top plate lets you come down square on your food with just a little re-locating of your food. It would be nice if the top plate came down with a parallel arm mechanism, but that is probably too much to expect for $50.

It's biggest problem, and it is not a big one, is that the protrusions in the heating plates are too deep. That means that parts of the bread that cannot get to the valley bottoms (all bread, actually) do not brown. Someone else said this is a silly affection to get the grill marks that some people seem to associate with paninis. I'd prefer that the plates were flat or at least more flat, but this is not a huge deal and this is still a good unit.

One last thing, I wonder what possessed the designers to make the temperature setting knob so smooth that it is hard to grasp.

Great product!
I absolutey love this panini grill! I initially was looking for a grill with flat plates since I thought it would heat the sandwich more evenly, and would make the grill a bit more versatile, but I already own a griddle & can just use that if I'm looking for something with a flat plate. As far as heating the sandwich evenly, I've never had a problem with this grill; it makes the perfect sandwich! I've never had any cheese ooze out of the indentations either, like a previous reviewer. I was a bit hesitant to get a grill with plates that don't remove for easy cleaning, but I have to say cleanup is a breeze. Now I actually prefer that the plates don't remove since I've heard complaints about a lot of the grills that have removable plates. The clips that hold removable plates in place can break, rendering the unit useless. The non-stick surface on this grill makes cleanup so easy. I just let it cool & wipe it down with a wet paper towel. My only complaint is that the unit does not have an on/off switch, but it's really not that big a deal.